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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27658427">Cookies</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anarchicalmango/pseuds/Anarchicalmango'>Anarchicalmango</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>RWBY</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Hugs, M/M, Ozpin (RWBY) Needs a Hug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 21:40:30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,099</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27658427</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anarchicalmango/pseuds/Anarchicalmango</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Basically somehow the main groups have defeated salem/brought the gods back and ozpin is now separated from oscar..Ozpin needs hugs and isn't feeling great after everything that's happened - friends and basically everyone hating him - his ex wife destroying literal cities and killing children - all that not too fun stuff. Bartholemew oobleck (barty) comes along and is just generally sweet and wholesome to ozpin. Lots of fluffy hugs and caring.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Bartholomew Oobleck/Ozpin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>With that oscar felt himself suspended in the air in a shroud of light. There was a dull ache inside his chest that was gradually growing, the feeling of the two souls finally being seperated. It didnt take long before he was lowered back to the ground into a series of hugs and questions.</p><p>“Are you ok? Oscar how do you feel?” Ruby asked worriedly.</p><p>“I, I feel fine actually “ “its like I'm just ...me again.”</p><p>The children failed to notice the other light falling to the ground as the second soul manifested back into a man with silver hair.</p><p>It was a strange feeling for ozpin. Actually being him again. He hated it. The moment he had felt his old hands, his old body he regained in vivid detail all the memories that came with it. His death, cinder, the flames that had enveloped him. It was overwhelming. He landed on the ground roughly and immediately wrapped his arms around his stomach as waves of nausea overtook him. It was immensely hard not to panic. Deep breath in, deep breath out. He repeated. He didn’t remember the timings but he knew he just had to focus on breathing. He didn’t have a right to panic; he was meant to be used to this. Team rwby and jnr were still a distance off checking on oscar and out of the corner of his eye he could see qrow, raven and taiyang talking. All the people whose lives he’d ruined he thought to himself. He was cracking, he knew it. It felt like the days when he was back at school. When he felt desperately lonely and would spend lunchtimes hiding in the rundown cubicles trying not to cry. As he was remembering this a figure sprinted up to him.</p><p>“Ozpin!”.</p><p>His eyes darted up immediately to see a tall man with wild green hair and round glasses.</p><p>“ bartholomew” he whispered gingerly.</p><p>He hadn’t properly seen him since Beacon. He knew him and port had been called in after they got amity up and running for communication but they had been in the thick of fighting Salem at that point. Ironwood had told all of them about his secrets. He knew that much. He hugged himself tighter anticipating a punch like the one qrow had given him. Instead, Oobleck knelt down in front of him.</p><p>“ hey, oz are you alright..?... I mean of course you're not but is there anything i can do to help you?”</p><p>It was strange hearing the usually hyperactive man speak with such genuine concern. It made his heart clench again. He didn't deserve this. He felt so close to crying.</p><p>“I..i”... no words came out. Ok deep breath. After regaining his composure slightly he managed to speak without wobbling. “I'm sorry about everything “ the words tumbling out somewhat ungracefully.</p><p>“ oz, i don't blame you for all this...and I certainly don't blame you for keeping secrets. I know you are a good person ozpin and you're my friend. We all make mistakes.”</p><p>He reached out and gently rested a hand on the now silent mans shoulder</p><p>“ why don't we get to an airship, you look injured”</p><p>ozpin squeezed his eyes shut and then hugged himself tighter feeling the pressure of all his feelings beating down again on his head. It hurt.</p><p>“Hey” Barty spoke quietly.</p><p>Ozpin glanced up, connecting eye contact. Barty held out his arms for a hug and Ozpin moved almost scared at first into his embrace.</p><p>“It's going to be ok.. why don't you stay at my place for the next few days. You need a break after everything you've had to do.”</p><p>Ozpin shakily untangled his arms from barty. He had forgotten the sensation of being fully hugged by someone who cared about him. It made everything feel a little less crushingly lonely.</p><p> </p><p>After that Barty had helped him hobble to the nearest airship(he was still feeling the effects of the injuries from battle and his fall to the earth). he collapsed inside. Barty perched next to him close enough that his weight could lean against him. He felt so thankful to have barty there. Especially after all the tension between him and the other groups.he must have drifted off to sleep because when he woke up he could feel golden sunlight streaming on to his face and fresh sheets. It was warm and cozy where he lay and he could smell the familiar aroma of coffee and old books.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Cooking show</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As he grew accustomed to his surroundings barty walked in carefully through the door, knocking as he did. Ozpin looked Up from his huddle of blankets as Barty talked.</p><p> “ I hope you're feeling a bit better, I haven't had a use for the spare room in a while seeing as I live alone but I tried to freshen it up a little” he gingerly gestured to a small vase of wildflowers on the windowsill. Ozpin's heart warmed a little, a pink colour rising on his cheeks. </p><p>“ it's lovely Bart, i...thank you so much.” </p><p>Bartholomew smiled ducking his head slightly and added “ i uhh brought you some hot chocolate.. I know it's all you used to drink from the staff kitchen”.</p><p>Ozpin propped himself up in bed slightly accepting the steaming cup. </p><p>“You're being far too kind to me,'' he whispered. </p><p>He wasn't even sure he'd heard it but Barty laid a hand on his shoulder. </p><p>“ i'll be doing some admin work today and uhh just stuff around the house so if you need me please do just call. If you want to join me i might make some cookies later? but it’s absolutely fine if you feel like you just want to rest today. Just do whatever you feel most comfortable with”</p><p> and with that he smiled and quietly left the room. Ozpin took a sip of the hot sugary drink and gave a chuckle as he looked down to see two puffy marshmallows in it. He was so kind.</p><p>After a while ozpin felt his eyes began to droop and the warmth of fluffy blankets pulling him back to sleep. It was late afternoon when he woke up. The sun had already begun to set and the room was mostly lit by the light from the living room that seeped through the door in a soft orange glow. He could hear from the other room the sounds of someone opening cupboards and humming happily. Remembering bartys offer from before he swung his legs out of bed to go assist with cookie baking. He stopped as his feet touched the ground. His feet. It felt weird to be back. Mentally he tried to prepare himself for dealing with another person, acting ok, making casual conversation. He was terrible at that anyway but now there was another layer of dread that crept over him, everything right now felt so unstable. He thought back to bartys words ‘i don't blame you’. What if he was just saying that, what if he was being a burden to him. Breathe. </p><p>‘Everything is ok’ he whispered to himself. ‘ its just barty’. The same barty who he used to get sandwiches with every second week, the same barty who he would spend hours discussing history and philosophy with, the same barty who smiled at him across the room in his first staff meeting when he felt utterly terrified of the all the other more experienced huntsman staring judgingly at him, their new, 23 yr old boss. He felt a pang of sadness in remembering all the time spent at beacon. After all Most of his life had been spent there, laughing, crying, living. And now the city was all but destroyed. The academy a pile of rubble because of salem. He blinked. Right, cookies. He needed to stop thinking about the world for a bit and just focus on cookies. Wrapping a fluffy grey blanket around his shoulders ozpin shuffled out of the room. Barty turned as he entered. </p><p>“ hello oz! I have a bit of a conundrum here, you see I'm not sure whether I should go for chocolate chip or ginger snap.” </p><p>Ozpin chuckled shuffling over to the recipe book. He glanced for a moment and then looked up “definitely ginger snap”.</p><p> “Sounds perfect to me” barty said, closing the book.</p><p>They spent the rest of the evening cooking together and by around 7:00 ozpin found himself sitting at bartys small wooden dining table with a bowl of stir fry. The whole house was obviously built for one person as could be seen from the size of the kitchen and table, but it was nice, it meant everything they did had to be slightly closer together and it felt cozy. </p><p>“Oh my goodness i almost forgot we're going to miss the next episode”</p><p> ozpin looked up curiously “whats this?”. </p><p>“They have this new cooking show that comes out weekly, you should see some of the desserts they’re masterpieces”. </p><p>Ozpin giggled quietly as he watched bartys eyes light up.</p><p> “Would you mind if we...eat on the couch tonight..?” Barty asked cautiously.</p><p> “Of course not, it sounds great”.</p><p> The couch was also small and they had to squish together to fit. Ozpin was still wearing the blanket and after settling down in front of the tv he passed a corner to barty who draped it around them smiling gleefully.</p><p> “You and your cooking shows” ozpin chuckled fondly. </p><p>The show was getting intense as the contestants waited for the first dish to be ranked and both pairs of eyes were glued to the screen in anticipation. Ozpin jolted slightly as he felt a hand rest around his shoulder. He could tell he was blushing slightly but he hoped Barty hadn't noticed. The hand was warm and solid, nothing like the feelings he'd felt in the last few weeks. Salem forcing him down into the ground, the familiar burn of magic on his skin. This was the opposite. It was loving. He could feel the tense aches drain from his body as he sank down into the couch leaning slightly towards barty. He was still being cautious just to make sure but eventually he let his head rest softly against bartys chest and snuggled into his arm. Barty hadn't said a word the whole time but he felt his thumb gently stroke his shoulder reassuringly. This was nice, he thought. I wish i could stay here forever.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Dreams</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The show ended about 15 minutes later. The empty bowls stacked up on the table and the two men remaining slumped against each other on the couch, content. </p>
<p>Barty spoke gently. “It's getting late, we should sleep.”</p>
<p> Ozpin didn't want to admit the twinge of sadness he felt from having to be alone again, even if it was just for the night. He knew it was stupid. He was supposed to be old, wise, unafraid but right now all he felt was vulnerable and broken. Still he faned a smile and responded</p>
<p> “yeah, you're right.  And uh thank you for all this, you really didn't have to let me stay...after everything iv lied about”. Ozpin mumbled the last part as he sat up from his position against barty and began to stand. </p>
<p>“I care about you ozpin, you understand that right?” Ozpin stopped in his tracks frozen by the words.<br/> “Because I think you're amazing and incredibly brave.” He removed his glasses and stood up gently next to Ozpin. <br/>“You are in no way a burden to me ozpin, please don't think that. But if you'd feel more comfortable somewhere else I completely respect that”.</p>
<p> Ozpin felt his eyes prick and resisted the urge for several seconds before turning round and slumping his head into barty in a broken, tired sort of hug. Bartys immediate shock subsided quickly as he wrapped his arms around the shorter man and held him as the wizard let a few tears escape. He led ozpin to bed a minute or so later with an arm tightly around his shoulder.</p>
<p>That night everything ached. Ozpin lay in bed silent. His physical wounds had healed but thousands of memories from all his previous lives seemed to pull at his head. Truth be told the wizard was scared that if he closed his eyes he might find himself back in one of those places. He rolled over onto his front burying his warming face in the pillow and fought the urge to let out a scream. At some point or another his eyes drooped and he fell into an exhausted sleep. </p>
<p>‘Hello my love’</p>
<p>Oh god that voice. Ozpin felt his whole body tense. Opening his eyes shakily praying they wouldn’t portray his emotion. He could feel her breath brush over his skin. Too close. </p>
<p>‘Salem’ he tried to keep his voice level as he spoke but could feel it begin to crack. Inside, his thoughts felt jumbled. How had he got here and where was barty. His thoughts were cut short though as Salem brought one hand in behind the nape of his neck.ozpin felt himself freeze adrenaline coursing through his body. Salem brought her lips closer to his and he instinctively jolted backwards trying to kick Infront of him but finding his legs held down by something.</p>
<p> "How ungrateful my love" Salem whispered, bringing her mouth directly next to his left ear. </p>
<p>Ozpin felt like he was choking. She reached both hands up and held his face stroking his cheeks gently and directing his eyes to face hers. Ozpin wanted to run. He wanted to scream. This was wrong, it all felt wrong and disgusting. He tried to close his eyes and imagine being somewhere back in beacon but he could feel her hands on his cheeks as her hauntingly gentle caresses began to scratch. </p>
<p>Ozpin tried to shout but no noise came out and only fat tears rolled down his cheeks as Salem began to dig her nails down his skin hard enough to bring blood. Suddenly she stopped and turned away. Ozpin could feel his skin stinging already, his face growing hot. Every fibre of him wanting to run as he wondered what would come NEX-</p>
<p>He didn't even see when she turned round but suddenly flame's enveloped his body. He didn't try to hide it, it's impossible to think or control anything when you can smell your own skin burning. He screamed louder than he even thought he could. Crying and sobbing through the smoke that was burning and choking him from the inside out. "STOP" "STOP"was all his brain was shouting and – </p>
<p>He shot up in bed, shaking all over. The covers were cold and wet with sweat. He had no idea where he was immediately, his brain still held in his memories, the smell, the sound, oh god that feeling. He clenched his stomach hiding his head as far down as he could and drawing his knees up. </p>
<p>Pale moonlight streamed through the curtains and caught glimpses of dust in the air. The dead shadows of the room sat perfectly still in the blue haze of night. Everything was silent, untouched. Except for the single weeping soul, cradling his own head and whimpering quietly. All his limbs too painfully tense. Fingers tightly wound in hair and toes clenched in the bedsheets.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Aftermath</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Barty had woken it had been a surprise. He was always a deep sleeper and it wasn't since his school days, desperately cramming for exams, that he'd found himself with his eyes open at 3am in the morning. Blearily he removed the covers and got out of his cocoon of warmth feeling the cool nights air filter in under the door.maybe a glass of milk would do him good. </p><p>Quietly he shuffled through the dark, stopping at the door to put on his corgi slippers before slipping out of the room and down the corridor. He got about a meter when he stopped. </p><p>From Ozpin's room a faint strangled sob could be heard. Immediately he knew. Ok. <br/>Carefully he knocked on the door before opening it gently. From there he could see the quivering form in a tangle of blankets. His heart broke a little. He knew how much pain and loss much ozpin had suffered. On top of that he was well aware of Ozpin's old habit of self-deprecating jokes. Barty's own heart hurt to see someone he loved so much feeling so broken. Carefully he moved towards the bed still leaving about a metre between them as he knelt down. </p><p>'Ozpin' he whispered gently. 'you're ok, you're safe' </p><p>From his position Ozpin could smell the familiar aroma of coffee and the library lingering on Barty. It was such a contrast to her. Fear courses through his body again. Why did she always touch him like that. He wanted to throw up.</p><p> Barty lay his open hand on the covers as Ozpin's eyes opened a little.</p><p> "I'm here if you want me Oz, just tell me what you need".</p><p> Shakily, and after a few more minutes of trying to breathe Ozpin lowered his hand into the others and let their fingers intertwine. Comfort. Home. </p><p>Ozpin breathed deeply, eyes still Darting around the room a bit. It took a few more minutes for his heart to stop thumping like a bloody steam train but eventually that too slowed. His hand still squeezing Barty's. </p><p>Exhaustion was all there was now. He had no energy to do anything. His head stayed drooped and his lungs ached. Barty gently positioned himself on the edge of the bed, his legs clicking slightly from having been crouched on the ground for so long.</p><p> "Are you ok?" Barty spoke softly immediately feeling stupid for it, gods of course he's not, but I have to say something.</p><p> Ozpin lifted his head looking across at Barty and opened his mouth a little but no sound came out. Barty gently passed a thumb over his hand.</p><p> "Would a hug help?" You can nod or shake your head" he added quickly. </p><p>Ozpin didn't answer, he just moved to lay his head on Barty's shoulder slumping the rest of his body into his lap. </p><p>A faint "I'm sorry" escaped the ball of fabric on Barty's shoulder and he brought his arms up gently around his shaky shoulders. </p><p>"Don't be sorry. I love you. You haven't done anything wrong, and I think you're incredibly brave" Barty whispered back. </p><p>Ozpin shuffled a bit and positioned his arms around Barty's neck still hiding his head in his shoulder</p><p> "I love you too" he whispered.</p>
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